sap-abap

# SAP ABAP Development Skill

## Related Skills

- **sap-abap-cds**: Use when developing CDS views for ABAP-backed Fiori applications or defining data models with annotations
- **sap-btp-cloud-platform**: Use when working with ABAP Environment on BTP or deploying ABAP applications to the cloud
- **sap-cap-capire**: Use when connecting ABAP systems with CAP applications or integrating with OData services
- **sap-fiori-tools**: Use when building Fiori applications with ABAP backends or consuming OData services from ABAP systems
- **sap-api-style**: Use when documenting ABAP APIs or following SAP API documentation standards

## Version Compatibility

This skill covers ABAP syntax from **7.40 SP08** through **ABAP Cloud**. Features requiring
a higher release are annotated with inline comments in code examples using the format
`" [7.xx+]` or noted in reference files. The table below summarizes the key version boundaries.

| Feature | 7.40 SP02 | 7.40 SP05 | 7.40 SP08 | 7.50 | 7.51 | 7.52 | 7.54 |
|---------|:---------:|:---------:|:---------:|:----:|:----:|:----:|:----:|
| Inline declarations `DATA(...)` | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Constructor operators (VALUE, NEW, CONV, COND, SWITCH, REF, EXACT, CAST) | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Table expressions `itab[...]` | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| String templates | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| `WITH EMPTY KEY` | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| `line_exists()`, `line_index()` | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| ABAP SQL: `@` host variables | | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| ABAP SQL: comma-separated lists | | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| ABAP SQL: SQL expressions in SELECT | | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| `CORRESPONDING` operator | | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Table comprehensions (`FOR`) | | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| `LET` expressions | | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| `REDUCE` operator | | | x | x | x | x | x |
| `FILTER` operator | | | x | x | x | x | x |
| `BASE` addition | | | x | x | x | x | x |
| `LOOP AT ... GROUP BY` | | | x | x | x | x | x |
| ABAP SQL: `dbtab~*` in SELECT | | | x | x | x | x | x |
| ABAP SQL: `RIGHT OUTER JOIN` | | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| CDS views with parameters | | | x | x | x | x | x |
| **`FINAL(...)` inline declaration** | | | | x | x | x | x |
| **Host expressions `@( expr )`** | | | | x | x | x | x |
| **`UNION` in SELECT** | | | | x | x | x | x |
| **`IS INSTANCE OF` / `CASE TYPE OF`** | | | | x | x | x | x |
| **`int8` type** | | | | x | x | x | x |
| **CDS table functions** | | | | x | x | x | x |
| **CDS access control (implicit)** | | | | x | x | x | x |
| **`$session.user/client/system_language`** | | | | x | x | x | x |
| **Test seams (`TEST-SEAM`)** | | | | x | x | x | x |
| **Common Table Expressions (`WITH`)** | | | | | x | x | x |
| **`OFFSET` in SELECT** | | | | | x | x | x |
| **`UPPER`/`LOWER` in CDS** | | | | | x | x | x |
| **Enumerated types** | | | | | x | x | x |
| **Internal tables as data source `FROM @itab`** | | | | | | x | x |
| **`WITH PRIVILEGED ACCESS`** | | | | | | x | x |
| **`utclong` type and functions** | | | | | | | x |

**On a 7.40 system**: Replace any `FINAL(...)` with `DATA(...)`, and avoid 7.50+ features
marked in bold above. Most modern ABAP syntax (VALUE, NEW, CONV, inline declarations,
table expressions, REDUCE, FILTER, GROUP BY) is available since 7.40 SP08.

## Table of Contents
- [Version Compatibility](#version-compatibility)
- [Quick Reference](#quick-reference)
- [Bundled Resources](#bundled-resources)
- [Common Patterns](#common-patterns)
- [Error Catalog](#error-catalog)
- [Performance Tips](#performance-tips)
- [Source Documentation](#source-documentation)

## Quick Reference

### Data Types and Declarations

```abap
" Elementary types
DATA num TYPE i VALUE 123.
DATA txt TYPE string VALUE `Hello`.
DATA flag TYPE abap_bool VALUE abap_true.

" Inline declarations
DATA(result) = some_method( ).
FINAL(immutable) = `constant value`.              " [7.50+] Use DATA(...) on 7.40

" Structures
DATA: BEGIN OF struc,
        id   TYPE i,
        name TYPE string,
      END OF struc.

" Internal tables
DATA itab TYPE TABLE OF string WITH EMPTY KEY.
DATA sorted_tab TYPE SORTED TABLE OF struct WITH UNIQUE KEY id.
DATA hashed_tab TYPE HASHED TABLE OF struct WITH UNIQUE KEY id.
```

### Internal Tables - Essential Operations

```abap
" Create with VALUE
itab = VALUE #( ( col1 = 1 col2 = `a` )
                ( col1 = 2 col2 = `b` ) ).

" Read operations
DATA(line) = itab[ 1 ].                    " By index
DATA(line2) = itab[ col1 = 1 ].            " By key
READ TABLE itab INTO wa INDEX 1.
READ TABLE itab ASSIGNING FIELD-SYMBOL(<fs>) WITH KEY col1 = 1.

" Modify operations
MODIFY TABLE itab FROM VALUE #( col1 = 1 col2 = `updated` ).
itab[ 1 ]-col2 = `changed`.

" Loop processing
LOOP AT itab ASSIGNING FIELD-SYMBOL(<line>).
  <line>-col2 = to_upper( <line>-col2 ).
ENDLOOP.

" Delete
DELETE itab WHERE col1 > 5.
DELETE TABLE itab FROM VALUE #( col1 = 1 ).
```

### ABAP SQL Essentials

```abap
" SELECT into table
SELECT * FROM dbtab INTO TABLE @DATA(result_tab).   " @ syntax: 7.40 SP05+

" SELECT with conditions
SELECT carrid, connid, fldate                          " comma syntax: 7.40 SP05+
  FROM zdemo_abap_fli
  WHERE carrid = 'LH'
  INTO TABLE @DATA(flights).

" Aggregate functions
SELECT carrid, COUNT(*) AS cnt, AVG( price ) AS avg_price
  FROM zdemo_abap_fli
  GROUP BY carrid
  INTO TABLE @DATA(stats).

" JOIN operations
SELECT a~carrid, a~connid, b~carrname
  FROM zdemo_abap_fli AS a
  INNER JOIN zdemo_abap_carr AS b ON a~carrid = b~carrid
  INTO TABLE @DATA(joined).

" Modification statements
INSERT dbtab FROM @struc.
UPDATE dbtab FROM @struc.
MODIFY dbtab FROM TABLE @itab.
DELETE FROM dbtab WHERE condition.
```

### Constructor Expressions

```abap
" VALUE - structures and tables
DATA(struc) = VALUE struct_type( comp1 = 1 comp2 = `text` ).
DATA(itab) = VALUE itab_type( ( a = 1 ) ( a = 2 ) ( a = 3 ) ).

" NEW - create instances
DATA(dref) = NEW i( 123 ).
DATA(oref) = NEW zcl_my_class(